President Peres meets with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

The United Nations is an important organization which represents the world – it is your responsibility to cry out on behalf of the mothers of the kidnapped boys and call for their immediate release. We must raise a moral cry and condemn terror on behalf of the entire world.

Copyright: GPO/Kobi Gideon

​(Communicated by the Office of the President)

At the beginning of the meeting the two issued statements to the media and addressed the kidnapping of the three Israeli boys.

President Peres said, "Terror today is the central threat to the whole world. Israel suffers greatly from terror, and just yesterday evening rockets were once again fired from the Gaza Strip at innocent Israeli civilians. I met with the families of the three kidnapped boys and they touched my heart. All of Israel is with them. The United Nations is an important organization which represents the world – it is your responsibility to cry out on behalf of the mothers of the kidnapped boys and call for their immediate release. We must raise a moral cry and condemn terror on behalf of the entire world.

I know how much the situation in Gaza concerns you, but we must speak honestly – the one who is responsible for that is Hamas which runs Gaza and leads to terror and poverty – we have a moral responsibility to condemn Hamas and fight against all terrorism."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon stressed that the United Nations unequivocally condemns the kidnappings and said "Under any circumstances or any reasons this cannot be justified; it’s totally unacceptable and I’ve condemned it in the strongest possible terms. And I’m sending again my strong solidarity, first of all, with those young people who were kidnapped and must be enduring terrible days, and their families and friends, and the people of Israel." He went on to say that he hoped to see the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians restart and that Israel will live in peace and security alongside a Palestinian state.